sobo

Shit! How'd ya pull that one off? Were you in the Air Force or something? ...sobo

I really love the F-15, but I think the coolest aircraft/climbing interaction I ever had was standing atop the Gendarme at Seneca Rocks, WV (before it fell down), belaying my partner up, and pondering the roaring sound that was growing in my ears. A split second later, I saw the exhaust from an ANG A-4 barrelling down-valley right towards me, below ridge level. He roared past, and just as he passed in front of and below me, he pulled a hard g wingover and headed up and out of the valley. He was so close to the rock I could clearly see his goggles on his face. My partner, on the back side of the Gendarme and not yet topped out, nearly shit his pants, thinking the whole pinnacle was coming down (it did, several years later, tho)! ...sobo

THAT was the name I couldn't remember fully. Thanx faust ...sobo

Anchorage, AK REI number is 907-272-4565. Give them a call and talk to them. Before you hang up, ask them the name/number of AMC to get add'l beta. They won't care, they're all pretty "down home" folks up there. Make sure you hit Humpy's for grub while you're there! Fergit Chilkut Charlie's - too trendy, altho the tunes ...sobo

Spent a spring up there about 6 years ago. Don't know what it'd be like in summer, but the Chugach is so close you won't believe it! There are ice climbs in there that may survive on the back sides away from the sun. Check out a book called Fat City Ice, or call 411 and get the numbers for the REI and Alaskan Mountain Community or something like that (it's a retail store that has knowledgable folks). From what I saw around town and in the Eklutna River canyon, it all looked really chossy. Mountain biking in teh Chugach should be fun, tho, and kayaking (freshwater) shouldn't be hard to find. Sea kayaking, well, you're right there. BE AWARE OF THE MUD FLATS!!! They have killed many. HTH

Altho we all get the joke (all blank items because men don't understand anything about women, let alone the top ten things), I really have to agree with catbirdseat on his contribution. ...sobo

So what appears to have been a neatly balanced budget affair in 2002 is now attempting to become a profit-making scheme... ...sobo

Followed quickly by, "Here, hol' ma beer!"

I think that's why I gave up Miner's. But then, it might be cuz I added fries to that, which probably put my gut over the top.

Which one is your favorite? ...sobo

The same! It really doesn't look all that dirty or loose for the first 3 pitches. After that, I tend to agree. I was figuring all these years that it would have to be aided above about 400 feet or so off the deck. Apparently, I was wrong... ...sobo

With respect to not trashin' the place out: Amen, Brother. This area is in my backyard. I've been eyeballing it for routes for about 5 years now, ever since going in to Strobach for ice climbing in 1998. But could never get anyone to come with me to get on GE mountain. Now I see that the pickin's are getting picked. I'll be out there this spring... Nice job on the photos and thanks for sharing the beta, joe! ...sobo

If memory serves, I believe it was the venerable Paul Petzoldt, a member of the second (?) ascent party of the Grand Teton and later the founder of NOLS, who coined that little gem. ...sobo

I was one of those guys about 18 years ago. Had been climbing for about a month when my partner thought it was time for me to lead something. I had Dru's "part a" down pretty well, being a young buck back then. Wasn't quite there with "part b" yet, though I didn't know that just then. It was a 5.9 at Bridge Buttress in the New River Gorge in WV. It was also my partner's "keen" idea to sell me on the climb as a 5.6, me not yet able to look at it and be able to tell the difference. It's called "sandbagging", and watch out for it, A-gal. As has been said here before, go with someone you trust first. It cost me two - TWO! - 30-footers, back to back, because I had overclimbed my last piece on a layback and futzed around too long on one arm trying to build an anchor with the other one. Not once, but twice! So spend some time with a rack of gear making placements. I walked around campus for two weeks placing gear in any crack I could find between classes. It helped tremendously when I returned and climbed the route cleanly. Luckily I was not hurt in the falls because they were airballs, but the sudden stop DID hurt. Learn how to fall as well. 'nuff said. ...sobo

Yeah... I didn't think there were any 15k mountains in ALL of the lower 48, let alone CO... Those folks really think they're sump'in. ...sobo

Strange, Alex. I think the FS Road 1202/570 approach is shorter. It's only about 2 miles on easy road and one mile off trail. The Milk Creek Road approach keeps you on the FS road for quite a while. I also didn't like the deep ravine crossing that you get to do going the first option way on skis . I preferred the beaver dam crossing over the ravine crossing. You probably didn't like the tree-bashing, tho. It sucks on skis... ...sobo ------------------

Greetings, Keep your jets cool, people. Went up on Sunday to find the temps hovering around ~36F at the cliff base. Still in an inversion over here. First Ice on the Right was in, but wet, with the top-out very sporty. AT gear is NOT the preferred approach gear at this time. It was like walking with 20 lb blocks on each foot. Use snowshoes until it gets colder. Attempted to flag the route in from Spencer Creek Road (FS 1202/570), but stayed on Trail 609 too long and got screwed up. So we quit flagging until we were sure we on the path, which we didn't find. Ultimately, we ended up approaching First Ice on the Right from the right instead of from Split Rock Camp on its left. When we headed down, I found the old blue flagging I put up in 1998 (just the knots were left in the trees), so we began flagging again on the way down, using the old marks as a guide. After about 500' vert and a half mile, we lost 'em. Bushwhacked back to our earlier tracks and out to the FS Road by dark. So I'm gonna try to get in again this weekend and fill in that horrible half mile that didn't get flagged so the rest of you won't half to flounder around in the mush like we did. Currently using flourescent pink survey ribbon as the marker, and it's on the Spencer Creek Road approach variant (the second option from Alex's and Jason's draft Ice Guide - the original Larry Nevers/Yale Preston route in from back in 1998). Cheers, ...sobo -----------------------------------

Ah ha! So it's not just me. Thanks, I needed the support... ...sobo

Thanks, shredmaximus. After reading the old posts, it definitely looks like it could be a nice outing. The preferred timing (late season) also just happens to workout w/my schedule, too. ...sobo

A question for jon and gaper timmy: Why aren't the most recent posts going to the top of the list in this forum? It's would seem that it would be easier to check the current threads that way. Does it have something to do with teh "thumbtack" icon...? Please excuse this polak if he posted in the wrong forum... ...sobo

And to anyone who replies with beta, include if it's "acceptable" to approach with a snowmobile... ...sobo

OWC, Hmmmm... from top to bottom, Harrison Lake Beehive Dome Harrison Peak, South Face How'd I do? ...sobo

Thanks, Muffy. We appreciate your sentiments! on! ...sobo

I got: 2 new Cobra picks for the arm extensions, a pair of BD flik-lok ski poles, and my first child, a boy. Now THAT'S a Christmas present!! ...sobo

The Level 1 class I took from the NSP did indeed include a field demonstration of the shovel test pit (which we all know) AND the fabled Rutschblock Test. After we failed the snow from the Rotschblock test, we then did the layer analysis and recording, using all the pretty instruments. I don't know which Level 1 class you took, skisports, but mine was good and well worth the $40. I think my climbing club *may* have subsidized a part of the tuition, tho, so it could have cost more for non-members. We also got the McClung book as part of the tuition. That alone is worth $20 in the store. ...sobo -------------